Carranza, Figal to miss a few weeks
Robinson out Sunday vs. Atlanta United
Inter Miami CF (1-1-1, four points) will once again be shorthanded when it hosts Atlanta United FC (1-1-1, four points) this weekend.
Starting center back/right back Nico Figal and left winger Robbie Robinson won’t play in Sunday’s match at DRV PNK Stadium, coach Phil Neville said Thursday, since both are dealing with hamstring injuries.
Figal was set to start at right back before Inter Miami’s scoreless draw against Nashville SC on May 2, but he was pulled from the lineup less than five minutes before kickoff after sustaining the hamstring injury during warmups.
Robinson sustained his hamstring injury during Inter Miami’s 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on April 24, subbing out of the matchup at halftime. He came off the bench as a substitute in the 67th minute against Nashville SC but was subbed out of the match 12 minutes later after aggravating the injury.
Neither Figal nor Robinson was practicing with the team during the portion of Thursday’s training session that was open to reporters.
“They’re not fit for Sunday, both Robbie and Nico,” Neville said. “Nico [is] probably going to be [out] a few weeks; Robbie’s day to day. He’s feeling a lot better, but we’re going to be really cautious with him.”
Julian Carranza is another Inter Miami player who won’t be available versus Atlanta, with Neville saying the 20-year-old backup forward has been dealing with vertigo in recent weeks.
Carranza, who was doing individual work with a trainer during the portion of Thursday’s training that was open to the media, didn’t travel with the team to Nashville, Tenn., last weekend.
Neville said Carranza, who has yet to play this season, is still deal
ing with dizziness and could miss the next few games.
“We’re treating it like a concussion a little bit in terms of symptoms,” Neville said. “We’re going to really cautious with Juli. We’re going to make sure he’s 100% before coming back.
“He’s now just starting to do light training — very light training. It’s purely on how he feels, and I think it could be a few weeks maybe before Juli’s back with us.”
Kelvin Leerdam was also absent from Thursday’s practice, but Neville said he expects Leerdam “to be fit for Sunday,” despite having a “slight niggle.” Leerdam has started all three games at right back for Inter Miami this year.
“We haven’t gotten that much cover now that Nico’s out at right back,” Neville said. “We’re not going to take any risks with Kelvin. We’ve tried other players in that position this morning, and we’re happy with the choices we’ve got.”
Federico and Gonzalo Higuaín trained with Inter Miami on Thursday and are expected to be available Sunday after missing the team’s game against Nashville SC due to their mother’s recent death.
Neville mentioned Christian Makoun as someone he expects to play more in the coming weeks in light of the team’s absences and having three games across eight days (versus Atlanta United on Sunday; versus CF Montreal on May 12; at FC Cincinnati on May 16).
“Christian is a young center back who’s been working hard,” Neville said. “He probably does extra every single day of the week because we want to keep developing him. With Nico out, thinking about the threegame week next week, Christian will play some minutes next week without a doubt.
“His concentration levels are getting better. He’s beginning to become a little bit more vocal. We’re asking more of him.
“With people like Christian who have been knocking on the door for so long, it becomes a point where you’ve eventually put them in and trust them. It now feels like Christian’s time. I have every faith in him.”